Cotton&#39;s patent and other straight bar knitting machine



NSV@ 5, i946. J. E. LYNAM 2,410,668

COTTONS PATENT AND OTHER STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed July 14, 1945 5 sheets-sheet 1 Nav, 5, i946.

J. E. LYNAM 2,436,668 COTTONS PATENT AND OTHER STRAIGHT BARKNITTI'NG MACHINES Filed July 14, 1945 5 SheetS-Shet 2 v 'r ',3/ F/Gl.

Nav. 5, 1946. v J. E. LYNAM Ew COTTONS PATENT AND OTHER STRAIGHT YBAR.KIIITIING MACHINES Filed July 14, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 g u Lk f2 o @I N j 'ow and Inventor Nov. 5, 1946.' J. E. LYNAM masas COTTONS PATENT AND OTHER STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed July 14, 1945 5 sheets-sheet 4 o .Q m Je S? 3' a :e V O (o3 V@ .I O Y?, v

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Inventor 52AM/MW Attorney J. E. LYNAM Fiied July 14, 1945 Nov. 5, 1946.

coTToNs PATENT AND OTHER STEAIGHTBAR KNITTING MACHINES www Patented Nov. 5, 194$ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CQTTON-S PATENT AND OTHER STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE John Edward Lynam, Mapperley, England, assignor to William Cotton Limited, Loughborough, England, a companyl Application July 14, 1945, Serial No. 605,115 In Great Britain February 5, 1945 In straight bar knitting machines it is customary to drive the yarn carrier or each of them through the medium of ka permanent friction coupling, known as a friction box or friction, which provides sufficient frictional grip to drive the carrier to and fro Ibut slips when the traverse of the carrier ineither direction is terminated by a stop. Thus in a common construction of Cottons Patent machine there is a friction rod which is reciprocated with a constant amplitude by .a draw cam and extends through at least one friction box which contains a frictional surface permanentlypressed.against theirod to grip it and which is connected to'a carrier rod (or any selectedone of severalcarrierrodsh' The known arrangement readily permits the traverse of the carrier to be Varied (by adjusting the stops) as required but since the friction is applied throughout the whole time that a given v carrier is operative it vhas various recognized disadvantages among which may be mentioned the heavy impact when the carrier rod strikes a stop, the power absorbed in forcing the friction rod through the box after said impact, and the heavily-fluctuating load thus thrown upon 'the driving motor of the machine. A specic object of the present invention isA a construction which avoids or minimises these disadvantages. Another object is a uid-operated friction coupling (i. e. a hydraulic or pneumatic clutch or brake) for a reciprocatable member of a Cottons rPatent or other straight bar knitting machine.

The invention provides `in a knitting machine,v

particularly a straight bar knitting machine; the combinationwith a member movable to and fro, of a coupling comprising two relatively-movable parts one of which is connectable to said member, a friction member for Yconnecting them frictionally, and fluid-operated means for operating said friction member.V The coupling may serve to drive a reciprocatable member, or to hold it stationary, or there may be a coupling for each purpose. Specifically, thesaid member may be a yarn carrier or carrier rod and as viewed from an important aspect the invention provides `in a Cottons Patent or other straight 'bar knitting machine having at least one carrier movable to and fro with a variable amplitude and a reciprocatable driver -for driving it, a driving coupling comprising two relatively-reciprocatable parts whereof one is connectable to the carrier and the other to the driver, a friction member for connecting them, and fluid-operated means for operating -said friction member in accordance withthe desired amplitude of travel.V

The coupling preferably comprises a housing, a rod extending through it, a split taper collet encircling the rod within the housing and cooperating with a taper surface, and a piston in 4the housing for operating the collet. It is further preferred that there shall. be two opposed pistons each operating a collet.

The foregoing and other features of the invention set out in the appended claims are incorporated inthe construction which will Anow be described, as an example of the application4 of the invention to the alternate dri-ving and locking of a carrier drivingr bar whichk is connected to a carrier or capable of beingY mounted to any selected one of a plurality ofrcarrers, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure lis a part-section through a coupling.

Figure 2 is a cross section illustrating the use of such a coupling for driving a reciprocatable rod and Figure 3. is a like View illustrating its use for holding the rod stationary;

Figure 4 is a cross section showing thev relevant parts of a Cottons Patent or other straight bar knitting machine and illustrating the application of the coupling thereto;

Figure 5. is a rear elevation of this machine; and

Figure 6 is an elevation, Figure '7 across section, and Figure 8 a plan (all cna larger scale) of certain details of this machine.

The coupling employed in this example is indi.- cated generally at I in Fig. 1 and consists of a hollow housing 2 through which the carrier driving bar 3, 'of circularcross section, extends slidably. The housing interior terminatesv in two, oppositely directed, slow tapers 4 each of which accommodatesv a split taper collet or gripper 5 encircling the bar 3 so that if these collets are forcedl outwards they will wedge into the tapers.

and so will grip the bar and couple it frictionally to the housing. They are operated by fluidpressure means and for this lpurpose each collet' 5 is attached to or integral with a piston 6 enicircling the bar V3, these two pistons 6. are slidable-on` the bar and in' the housing. and one of.

aiios erally at I2 in Fig. l (details of which are shown in Figs. '2 and 3).. Y l Y The application ofrsuch a, coupling to a Cottons Patent or other straight bar knitting machine is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 which show needles I3, sinkers I4, jacks l5, slur cock I6, slur bar I1 and a. sliding bar I8 reciprocated by the draw mechanism I9 having a draw lever 20 and draw cam 2l, main cam shaft .22, astationary longitudinal frame member 23, and stops 24 adjustable by stop screws 25 in the customary manner, carriers 25, and carrier rods21ycaprable rlofbeing selectively coupled by known Ameans 28 to a driving block 29 which is slidable along the frame member 23 and is connected to the driving bar 3. Two of the couplings I are employed, a driving coupling Ia for driving the carrier drivingebar 3 and a lockingcoupling Ib for locking it ina stationary position.

- The housing 2 of the driving coupling ia is mounted on a bar (such for example as the sliding bar) I8 which is reciprocated with a constant amplitude by the drawY cam 2l of the machine; the housing of the locking coupling Ib is -mounted on the. frame member 23, and changeover control valve apparatus is provided for admitting fluid pressure to either coupling while simultaneously opening. thev other to exhaust. Thus at the same time that pressure is applied to thedrivingcoupling I a to cause it to connect thei carrier rdriving bar 3 .to the reciprocating bar |8, .the locking coupling VIb is opened to eX- haust and releases the driving bar 3, and at the same time kthat thedriving coupling Ia is connected tol exhaust and ceases to drive the ydriving bar 3 pressure is applied to the locking coupling Ib which therefore holds the drivingbar 3 stationary by locking it to frame member 23.

:For each coupling, the valve apparatus I2 consists Vo'fa single plunger having a plurality of collars' whereby the coupling may be connected to a pressure supply 9.or exhaust 9'. If the pressure 'fluid is air, the exhausts can emit direct to atmosphere, but if it is a liquid such as oilv they are.desirably connected by .piping Lto a sump. The respective valve plungers are indicated at I2a. and I2b in Figs. 2 and 3 and it Will be seen that when they are both raised the driving coupling Ia is connected to the pressure supply-land` the locking coupling Ib to exhaust and when they areboth lowered the driving coupling is connected to exhaust and the locking coupling to the pressure supply. This valve apparatus is operated by valve-operating apparatus in accordance with the desired length of travel of the selected carrier 2B, and conveniently the adjustment of the usual carrier stops 24 is employed to adjust the valve timing so that the changeover from driving to locking is effected as the selected carrier. rod 21 strikes a stop 24.

Forthis purpose the following construction is adopted. i* The valve plungers ,I2a, I2b are connected to a horizontal rock shaft 38 so as to be raised or lowered simultaneously, the plunger I2a of the driving coupling I a being free to slide, as said coupling travels to and iro, along a horizontal rod 3I supported from said rock shaft by levers 32. The rock shaft 38 is biassed by spring 33 to a position in which` the driving coupling Ia is released and the locking coupling Ib is operative' and lis arrangedv toghe rocked, .to ,move the'.

valve plunger I2a to a driving position, by either' of two operating plungers 34, 35 slidable in blocks 36, 31 (which are slidable along frame member 23 and are connected to the end stops 24 by rods 38, 38 so that their spacing is adjusted as the stops 'are adjusted). These plungers are arranged to engage and lift a.l horizontal rod 48 connected to the rock shaft 30 by arms 4I and at their lower ends respectively carry trucks 42, 43 for engagement by cams 44, 45 on the tie bar or like partV I8 that reciprocates with a constant amplitude.V These cams and trucks are oset,

' so that either truck is located in the track of one cam onlyd'as will readily be appreciated from Figs. '1 and 8, and each truck is capable of being l shifted axially against the pressure of a spring A f46`- or 4 1`byfan incline 44' or 45' at the outer end of itswcam. This arrangement is such that in movement of the tie bar or the like I8 from left to right the left hand cam 44 rises the left hand plunger 34 and towards the endl of this movement the right ,hand ca1n=45 displaces the truck 43 of the right hand plunger 35 without lifting the latter; in movement from right to left the right hand cam 45 lifts the right hand plunger 35 and towards the end of this lmovement the left hand cam 44 displaces the'truck 42 of the left; handY plunger 434 without lifting thelatter.

Since, when the plunger`34, 35 andthe valve plungers I2a, I2b are raised the valve apparatus admits fluid pressure to the driving coupling Ia and connects the locking coupling lb to exhaust, this ensures that irrespective ,of the adjustment of the stops 24 and of the length of draw.- the carrier 26 moves with ,av definite lead over the slurcock gl-3i which lead is governed bythe positioning of the two-cams 44,v 45 (andthese may be adjustable on the tie bar). Each cam is comparatively short, and only holds up its plunger fora short'iwhile. Therefore a latch is provided for retaining the aforesaid rod 40 inthe raised position, together with means for tripping the latch to release, the'rod when the carrier rod 21 strikes a stop 2,4 so that the valve plungers I2a, I2b then moveto the locking position. The latch consistsV ,of an arm 48 pivoted at 49 on a xed part 58; it pis connected by'pins 5I to a horizontallyslidable trip bar 52 which is spring biassed to a central position in which the end 48' of latch arm 48 tsj under one (4I') of thelevers supporting the horizontalrod 4U so that assoon as one of the plungers34, 35 raisessaid rod 40 the latch arm 48 moves into position and holds it up. At each end, Anear the adjustable blocks 36 31 carrying the'operating plungers 34, 35 the trip bar 52 has a rack of ratchet teeth 53, 54 the two racks being oppositely directed, and on each block 36,V 31 there Visa short lever 55 or 56 carrying a pawl 51 or 58 for engaging the associated rack and constituting a release device.` Eachpawl has aV projecting finger 51a or 58a which, when struck, rst carries the pawl into engagement with its rack and then displacesI the pawl-carrying 1ever so that the pawl makes a stroke whichshogs the trip bar 52 and removes or trips the latch 48^frorni beneaththe lever 4I' of horizontal bar 4D. The fingers 51a, 58a are struck, one at each end of the traverse ofV the carrier rod v21V, by a striker 59 which travels between them and is mounted on the carrier rod ora rod coupled to it, the 'striking faces-of the striker being preferably provided by adjustment screws 50.1,Thus irrespective of the length of traverse as determined bythe'setting ofi-ther aljustable end stops 24, each time. .a-arrier rod; 21 .Strikesa .Step ,the

latch [i8 is released and the rod [lil descendsunder` the influence ofispring- 33 to lower the 'valve plungers l2a, I2?) and therebytorelease the. driving' coupling la. and'to apply the locking couplinglb. N s f This meansfor biassing the rack bar r52 .and the latch'48 tothe centralposition may .consist of a pair of scissor' fingers El, pivoted at Sion the fixed part 5t. of 'themacliina which are drawn together by spring 63 to grip a pair of pins 5d on the bar 52.

The fluid under pressure is supplied by a suitable source of supply (e. g. a pump or compressor) needing no illustration; air is preferred because such leakage thereof as may occur will cause less trouble than oil in a knitting machine.

I claim:

1. In a knitting machine, the combination with a member movable to and fro, of a coupling comprising two relatively-movable parts one of which is connectable to said member, a friction member for connecting said parts friotionally, and fluid-operated means for operating the friction member.

2. In a knitting machine having two relativelymovable members, a, fluid-pressure operated coupling for releasably connecting them comprising two relatively-movable parts resp-ectively connested to said members, a gripper for gripping L the two parts together, and fluid-operated means for actuating the gripper.

3. In a straight bar knitting machine, a reciprocatable .memben a driver therefor, and a releasable driving coupling for connecting the reciprocatable member to the driver comprisingv two relatively-movable parts connectable respectively to said member and driver, a friction mem-` ber for connecting said parts frictionally together, and fluid-pressure means for operating the friction member.

4. In a straight bar knitting machine, a, reciprocatable member, a stationary member, and a releasable locking coupling for hol-ding the reciprocatable member stationary by locking it to .the stationary member, comprising two relatively-movable parts connectable respectively to said member and driver, a friction member for connecting said parts friotionally together, and fluid-pressure means for operating the friction member.

5. In a straight bar knitting machine, the combination with a driver, a reciprocatable member, and a stationary member, of a fluid-pressure operated driving coupling for driving the reciprocatable member from the driver and a fluidpressure operated locking coupling for holding the reciprocatable member stationary by locking it to the stationary member, and control valve means for rendering said couplingsl operative alternatively.

6. A machine according to claim 5, wherein the reciprocatable member is a yarn carrier.

7. In a straight bar knitting machine having at least one carrier movable to and fro with a variable amplitude and a, reciprocatable driver 'for driving it, a driving coupling comprising two Yrelatively-reciprocatable parts whereof one is connectable to the carrier and the other to the driver, a friction member for connecting them, and fluid-operated means for operating said friction member in accordance with the desired amplitude of travel.

8. In a knitting machine, a releasable fluidpressure operated coupling for connecting two members together, comprising ,a housing, la; rod extending slidablyv through it,: ai taper surface; in the housingpa split taper'.y col1et1:.en'circling the rod within-the housing andrea-,operating with said surface, and za. piston in the .housing for operating'thelcollet.' y 9.5, Apparatus according Ato claimyhavingtwo opposedataper surfaces Vin the.-housing, a `collet for v`each-surface, and two. opposed pistonslfor displacing the collets.

10. In a straight bar knitting machine, a yarn carrier, adjustable stops for determining the length of its traverse, a reciprocatable driver for the carrier, a fluid-pressure operated coupling for driving the carrier from the driver, and valve means for rendering the coupling operative at a predetermined stage in each traverse of the driver and for rendering it inoperative when the lcarrier traverse is determined by a stop.

11. In a straight bar knitting machine of the kind having a line of needles, a slur cock travelling therealong with a constant amplitude of reciprocation, a carrier movable along the line with a variable amplitude of traverse, and adjustable stops for determining the carrier traverse, the combination of a driver for the carrier movable tov and fro with a constant amplitude, a releasable fluid-pressure operated coupling for driving the carrier from the driver, and valve means for rendering the coupling operative to drive the carrier with a predetermined lead over the slurcock and for rendering it inoperative when the carrier traverse is terminated by a stop.

12. A machine according to claim 11, including two valve-operating devices adjustable for spacing with the stops, cam means travelling with the slur cock for operating through one or other of said devices during travel in either direction to render the coupling operative, release devices, for rendering the coupling inoperative, adjustable for spacing with the stops, and a striker travelling with the carrier for operating a release device at each end of the carrier travel.

i3. In a knitting machine, the combination of a member movable to and fro, a driver therefor also movable to and fro, a stationary member, a huid-pressure operated driving coupling for driving the rst member from the driver, a uidpressure operated locking coupling for locking the first member to the stationary member, valve means controlling said couplings, two spaced valve-operating devices for operating the valve means to render one coupling operative and the other inoperative, cam means travelling with the driver for operating the devices alternately one at the commencement of each traverse of the driver, two spaced release devices for rendering the one coupling inoperative and the other operative, means travelling to and fro with the movable member for operating said release devices alternately, and means for varyingV the length of travel of the movable member by adjusting the spacing between the two-valve operating devices and between the two release devices.

14. A machine according to claim 13, wherein Vthe said movable member is a carrier, having i adjustable carrier stops and means for adjusting said operating devices and release devices with said stops.

15. A machine according to claim 13, having the valve means movable between two alternative positions in one of which the driving coupling is operative and the locking coupling is inoperative and in the other of which the driving coupling is inoperative and the locking cou- 2,41o,ees

sure operated locking coupling for locking the carrier to the stationary member, and valve mechanism for rendering the driving coupling operative during a' portion of each traverse of the driver and for rendering the locking coupling' operative during the remainder whereby the oarrier is held stationary during the initial and terminal portion of each driver traverse.

, JOHN EDWARD LYNAM. 

